Ian Lynam Design is a multi-disciplinary creative studio specializing in unique solutions for international clients. The studio has been based in Tokyo since 2005, following 5 years of experience working at a number of internationally renowned design studios and advertising agencies.

Associated

About

Ian Lynam Design is a multidisciplinary creative studio specializing in unique solutions for international clients. The studio has been based in Tokyo since 2005, following 5 years of experience working at a number of internationally renowned design studios and advertising agencies in the United States.
Originally hailing from New York, Lynam has a BS in Graphic Design from Portland State University and an MFA in Graphic Design from CalArts.

Capabilities

Pan-cultural identity design

Brand strategy

Market positioning consultation

Editorial direction & design

Interactive content direction, design & development

Mobile device content direction, design & development

Motion graphics

Video direction & production

Print art direction, graphic design & production

Advertising art direction & design

Broadcast design

Typographic consulting

Architectural & interior graphic design

Exhibition design

Retail product design

Apparel graphics

Packaging design

Typeface design & development

Awards

Projects designed by the studio are in the permanent collections of NYMOMA, the V&A and The Newberry Library, as well as having been featured in the 2010 Milan Design Triennale. Lynam is a judge of the Asia Pacific Design Awards, as well as having won an Asia Pacific Design Award, Adobe Achievement Awards, The Mead Show, and Media That Matters Film Festival.

Teaching

Ian Lynam is Chair and faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in their MFA Graphic Design program. He is faculty in Tokyo at Meme Design School. Ian and developer Paul Sather are both adjunct faculty at Temple University Japan. There, they teach in the Undergraduate and Continuing Education programs, actively engaged in developing curricula concerning typography, graphic design, image-making, identity design, web design and motion graphics.

What Clients Say:

“Ian is everything I could ask for: a highly talented video creator, web designer, creative collaborator and consultant, all rolled into one guy with a great attitude! I’ve really enjoyed working together with Ian and applaud his stellar creativity, attention to detail, and flexible accommodation to tight timelines and collaborative revisions — thanks for the amazing work, and here’s to more!”
- Felicia Lee
Google Japan

“When it came time to announce Firefox’s adoption of the @font-face rule, we needed someone to create an integration demo that straddled both innovative code and a nuanced working knowledge of typography. Ian was the obvious choice- his knowledge of typography applied to print and screen helped create a piece of design that functioned as a working how-to demo, a critique of webfont deployment in its nascent stages and a compelling piece of writing.”- Gen Kanai
Mozilla

“The best kept secret in Japan. Encyclopedic in his knowledge of typography and all things beautifully considered. There are few men in Tokyo — nay, the world — that care more about design and the creative process as does Ian Lynam. Oh, and he’s the nicest guy you’ll meet.”-Craig Mod
Flipboard

“Ian is pragmatic and effective in creating beautiful cultural products, and a pleasure to work with. He found amazing nuggets of graphic design and typography in our corporate archives, and turned them into amazing contemporary assets. He’s comfortable doing things himself, as well as at finding relevant partners, and has consistently shown a great level of initiative.”-Raphaël Mazoyer
ASICS / Onitsuka Tiger

“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”-Charles Spreckley
Five By Fifty

“In all our collaborations, Ian has always brought a fresh perspective and boundless energy to the project. His encyclopedic knowledge of visual culture, ability to quickly work through multiple concepts, and deep Rolodex of talented friends, also give us the confidence to move beyond our first idea, towards a final product that will surprise and delight our clients.”-Chris Palmieri
AQ

“Ever find yourself drawn to an image or sucked into an design article based purely on the form or content, then finding out later- after you go back to read the credit line- that a friend actually busted it out? That’s Ian.”-Andy Cruz
House Industries

“Ian instantly captivated the room when he came to speak with my design students at Portland State University. He was all of the elements that one would want in a presenter: thoughtful, funny, relevant, organized, passionate, articulate and relatable. Most of all, the entire room walked away with new knowledge. Score! PSU loves Ian!”- Kate Bingaman BurtPortland State University

“Ian has the design skills I wish I had. His consistently creative designs come from an informed mind and relentless work ethic. I love working with him.”- Austin Whipple
Pinball Publishing Inc.

“Ian Lynam is a pleasure to work with. Always understanding of what you are trying to achieve and able to offer the sage advice of a creative designer. Reliable, timely, and effective in what he does. I would definitely recommend his services.”-Glenn Davies
Temple University Japan

“Ian is an honest, simply-brilliant, graphic designer with skills and talent in abundance with the flexibility to adapt to meet and exceed a client’s need and did so each time we worked with him. He is a pleasure to collaborate with I would recommend him to anyone with confidence.”-Joseph Keating
Klein Dytham architecture

“I have worked with Ian Lynam on numerous occasions. A clever and competent designer on a number of levels, he is an excellent communicator and writer. I would recommend him whole heartedly for many projects.”-Christian Acker
Zoo York

“Working with Ian is a dream! He is able to take a few half-formed thoughts from our end and turn them into brilliant design that eloquently communicates the identity we aim to project. He has an amazing ability of knowing exactly what you need with only the slightest amount of information. He treats each project with the utmost attention and care and is always quick to respond to changes with an open and generous mind. We couldn’t imagine working with anyone else!”-Gretchen Hogue
Portland Documentary & eXperimental Film Fest

“Ian’s a sharpshooter. We had some identity issues that needed a pro and he took to heart our long-winded descriptions of all things we were trying to evoke. He returned with a thorough identity presentation that struck an exquisite balance of all that things that swirled around in our heads. It made us look in the mirror and think, “Yeah, thats who we are!”-Trevor Fife
Field Office Films

“Ian is the best to work with. He went above and beyond what I needed with my project. Ian Lynam has really good eyes – the kind of eyeballs that can tell you just what you need for the right sparks to fly everywhere, including my and your clients eyeballs.”-Bwana Spoons

“Ian quickly understood our needs, was forthcoming with ideas, responded promptly to our deadlines and delivered beyond expectations on all fronts. Thanks to his tireless efforts WIFM magazine is well represented online and my clients are very happy. I highly recommend Ian and will definitely use services again.”-Robert Heldt
WIFM Magazine/Custom Media KK

“Ian is always the first person I go to when need design help. Besides being an aesthetic genius, he is unrelenting in his commitment to portraying the right image for my brands. Top all of that off with a heavy dose of flexibility and professionalism and you end up with not only first-class designs, but an overall experience that ends up feeling more like fun than work.”-Jeffrey Wescott
Change.org

“As the art director for Top Shelf Productions, i’m always on the prowl for fabulous designers with whom to work. It’s good for business, it keeps things fresh, and it’s just lots of fun. I met Ian at least a decade ago, and have worked with him several years. We had a blast working on this project — a special dedicated section in the last edition of our eponymous anthology, devoted to work and influence of Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts. I loved his work then, and it just keeps getting better. I can’t wait to team up with Ian again soon.”-Brett Warnock
Top Shelf Productions

“Ian Lynam’s fine simplicity and appreciation for white space draws the eye and the heart where it needs to go. His design work is striking because it avoids the most common trap of being gaudy or needing attention. It simply does what it sets out to do.”-Joe Biel
Microcosm Publishing

“As an artist, publisher, writer and designer, Ian seems to have had more than nine lives, and frankly it’s hard to keep up! He doesn’t just bring technical skills, but a depth of cultural understanding from the ground up — low, high, pop, fringe — that is invaluable to his varied clients. While other designers skim the shiny surface of current trends, Ian drills down with a solid understanding of history and meaning of the motifs, letter forms, and images he utilizes.”-Chloe Eudaly
Reading Frenzy

“Because Ian has the craft of design really down pat, he has moved on to other things like giving the client what they really want even if they don’t know what it is they want. This can not be understated, because as a designer myself I am looking to expand my projects with other peoples great ideas, and that takes having a farsighted partner like Ian. Besides actual graphics, Ian has helped steer Joshu+Vela branding, public image and even the naming of the company – for this I am grateful to have someone looking out for my best interests as well as his. I am continuing to count on Ian to steer my projects in a successful direction with all the twists and turns that come up.”-Noah Guy
Joshu + Vela